Premier League bootroom and five wishes for the new season

It would be brilliant for the Barclays Premier League if Liverpool can get back to their total football of the 1980s, playing the ball out from the back.

We loved the way Swansea played under Brendan Rodgers and compared them to Barcelona. If Liverpool can do that, it would be great for the Premier League.

It is crucial that Liverpool make a good start at West Bromwich Albiony. When a manager comes in with new  ideas, you need results early on so that everybody gets on board with the  philosophy. 

Red alert: A new era is dawning at Anfield - one that could see them rejoin the elite in the Premier League

Rodgers turned decent players into very good ones at Swansea and will want his Liverpool team to play that lovely passing football, too. 

Bringing Joe Allen across to Anfield is a big part of that. Allen is excellent at those quick five-yard passes and is always on the move, looking for the ball and then finding a team-mate. He impressed me for Great Britain in the Olympic Games.

Rodgers will also have realised that he has landed on his feet as far as his goalkeeper is concerned. Pepe Reina’s distribution is excellent and he starts a lot of Liverpool attacks, which will be key as Rodgers tries to get his players on the ball as much as possible.

TRIUMPH FOR TORRES

Fernando Torres has endured such a tough time at Chelsea but he is a player with so much talent and I want him to make the most of  it.

Didier Drogba’s departure clears the path for him to take centre stage. To get the best from him, Roberto Di Matteo needs to back him, which means picking him for important games, and also set up the team to create chances for him.  The midfielders at Di Matteo’s disposal suggest that will happen.

Torres and Juan Mata have a great understanding and Oscar, Eden Hazard and Marko Marin are all players who will get the ball into the striker on the floor.

Back on top: Torres has the chance to shine now that Drogba has left Stamford Bridge

BOOK THE BULLIES

More than ever last year creative players were picked on by the opposition, with team-mates taking it in turns to put in late tackles. Because it was a different culprit each time, they often got away with it.

Gareth Bale, in particular, was a victim. If we want flair players to excite us rather than be injured, we have to protect them. That means booking people early for cynical challenges as a deterrent. 

BETTER DEFENDING

Too often last season we saw defenders losing their man in the box and making silly errors. They need to get back to basics and remember that their priority is defending, not charging forward all the time. You don’t have to lose all creativity but responsibility comes first.

The Italians were so good at that at Euro 2012.

The midfielders need to play their part, too. Forwards such as Sergio Aguero and Javier Hernandez are as fast as Olympic sprinters over a short distance, so having to handle them one on one is an impossible job.

Teams must defend as a group and offer protection to the back four.

HOPE FOR ENGLAND

Wednesday night against Italy was full of promise for England and Roy Hodgson. But if we are to kick on as a national team, we need players to be in the starting line-ups for their clubs every week. 

Players such as James Milner, Jack Butland, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Steven Caulker, Andy Carroll, Tom Cleverley and Adam Johnson won’t improve by sitting on the bench, playing 10 minutes here and five minutes there.

Let’s hope they are given a platform to shine.

Young and old: The likes of Carroll and Johnson are England's future

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Family pushed Penn State football coach Joe Paterno to read Sandusky report

Joe Paterno had to be prodded by his family to read the grand jury report regarding Jerry Sandusky and did not understand some of its graphic terminology, according to a new book.

The book, "Paterno" by Joe Posnanski, was purchased Friday by The Associated Press in advance of its release next week.

In the book, Posnanski describes a scene at Paterno's home, two days after Sandusky had been charged with child sex abuse last November. Paterno's family and a close adviser were trying to explain to the Penn Statecoach that there was a growing sentiment Paterno must have known for years about the accusations against Sandusky.

The book quotes Paterno as shouting "I'm not omniscient!"

Paterno did not want to read the report, but family members and Penn State football communications and marketing assistant Guido D'Elia insisted that he must.

The book also indicates Paterno didn't comprehend all the terms in the report, asking his son what sodomy meant.

According to the book, later that night Paterno's son, Scott, told his mother that she should brace herself for the possibility that Joe could be fired.

Sue Paterno responded, "Scotty, that will kill him."

Paterno was fired by school trustees two days later, on Nov. 9. He died in January at age 85 of cancer.

Sandusky, Paterno's longtime defensive coordinator, is jailed and awaiting sentencing after being convicted in June on 45 criminal counts involving 10 boys.

Former Athletic director Tim Curley and now-retired school administrator Gary Schultz are awaiting trial on charges of lying to a grand jury and failing to report the abuse allegations against Sandusky.

Paterno was not charged, though the NCAA last month slammed his beloved football program with a range of tough sanctions. Among them, the Nittany Lions were forced to vacate 112 wins from 1998-2011, meaning Paterno no longer has the most coaching victories in major college football.

The penalty seemed to grow from a report commissioned by the school from former FBI directorLouis Freeh. It said Paterno, Curley, Schultz and former school president Graham Spanierconcealed allegations against Sandusky dating back to 1998. Paterno's family and the three officials have all vehemently denied the conclusions.

Paterno had granted access to Posnanski to write a biography in 2011, well before Sandusky was charged.

"Nobody would argue — and certainly my book does not argue — that the good Joe Paterno did in his life should shield him from the horrors of his mistakes," Posnanski wrote in a column for USA Today earlier this week. "Some would argue, especially in the white-hot emotion sparked by the latest revelations, that Paterno's role in the Jerry Sandusky crimes invalidates whatever good he might have done. My book does not argue that either. My book, I believe, lets the reader make up his or her own mind."

The book also details the long and frosty relationship Paterno had with Sandusky while they worked together at Penn State.

According to the book, the two were never friendly and late in Sandusky's tenure, Paterno felt the defense was not performing well and neither was Sandusky.

Paterno did not want to fire Sandusky because he was so popular in the community and with fans, according to the book. The book indicates that Sandusky showed interest in taking an early retirement in 1999, and Paterno encouraged him to do so and let his assistant know he would not be the next head coach at Penn State.

Sandusky and Curley negotiated a retirement package, and among Sandusky's demands was to stay on through the 1999 season.

The book indicates Paterno reluctantly agreed, and then regretted the decision when the team, which was considered one of the national championship favorites going into the season and reached No. 2 in the nation, lost three games late in the year with an underperforming defense.

Sandusky's early retirement at age 55 has led to speculation that a 1998 allegation by a boy against Sandusky that was never prosecuted by authorities led to Penn State quietly pushing Sandusky out.

Paterno told a grand jury he was unaware of that allegation but evidence uncovered by Freeh report investigators suggest that he did.

According to the book, Paterno, who obsessively took and kept handwritten notes, had no notes in his files that mentioned the investigation.

Hay in race for United hot seat

Danny Hay is in the running for the Waitakere United coaching spot. Photo / Getty Images

Waitakere United will appoint a new head coach this week, with former All White Danny Hay in the running.

While the other ASB Premiership teams are in full planning mode for the upcoming season, the reigning champions are still to complete their coaching roster, with former mentor Neil Emblen unwilling to give up his national team duties.

Interviews were completed last week and recommendations will be presented to the club's board tomorrow night before an offer is made to the successful candidate.

Hay, one of six New Zealanders to have played in the Premier League, currently coaches the Sacred Heart first XI and also runs the football academy at the East Auckland school. He has been at the forefront of their recent success (they won the national secondary schools tournament last year and have led the Auckland secondary schools competition for much of this season) after a previously modest history where they rarely challenged the big guns.

In recent times, Hay has also been an outspoken critic of national coach Ricki Herbert and New Zealand football in general, often going public with his concerns over the perceived lack of accountability in the sport and the playing style of the Phoenix and All Whites.

The former Leeds United man has further coaching ambitions but will need to weigh up his commitments to Sacred Heart as well as his young family - and there is no guarantee he would accept the role if it was offered.

In an about turn, Emblen is also believed to be a serious contender, having had a change of heart since returning from England last week.

Once the new coach is appointed, he will have a unusual first-up challenge, with Waitakere set to play the Tahitian national team in the first week of September. Tahiti, who won the OFC Nations Cup in June to qualify for the 2013 Confederations Cup, are building for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. The match will be played Monday, September 3, at the unlikely venue of Anderson Park, Mt Albert.

Return of English Premier League overnight

The English Premier League is back overnight. Among the 14 teams in action on day one are Aston Villa, who meet newly promoted West Ham. Villa manager Paul Lambert's embracing the challenge. "I think there's a lot of expectancy on the club it's not something I'm going to shy away from. If pressure's on to get results then that's what we'll try and do. Radio Sport will have live commentary of Liverpool against West Brom, as well at Tottenham taking on Newcastle in the early hours of tomorrow morning. Photo: Getty Images

Wellington Phoenix head to India

The Wellington Phoenix will have a full-strength squad on their pre-season tour of India, despite some initial security concerns. A 21-strong group will depart for the subcontinent today, with a game against the Newcastle Jets on the way. The squad had raised concerns over their safety, with a handful of bombs recently going off in one of the cities they'll tour. Those fears have been allayed, with all available players confirmed to travel. Mark Paston will return to New Zealand after tomorrow's game for the birth of his third child, while Vince Lia, Jimmy Downey, Dani Sanchez and Lucas Pantelis are unavailable through injury

Liverpool suffer losing start in EPL

Liverpool's Premier League campaign has got off to a terrible start with a 3-0 loss to West Brom, while Arsenal were held to a goalless draw at home against Sunderland. The opening day news was much better for Swansea and Fulham, who both won 5-0 against Queen's Park Rangers and Norwich respectively. Photo: Luis Suarez (Getty Images)

Newcastle starts season with promise

Newcastle's started their English Premier League season in promising fashion, downing Tottenham 2-1 at home. A goal to Hatem Ben Arfa 10 minutes from time broke the 1-all deadlock between the teams and consigned Andre Villas-Boas to a loss in his first league match as Spurs boss. Meanwhile, West Bromwich Albion, Swansea, West Ham and Fulham all recorded wins. Arsenal and Sunderland fought a nil-all stalemate and Reading's drawn 1-all against Stoke. Photo: Hatem Ben Arfa (Getty Images)

Ferdinand slapped with 45k fine

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand's been slapped with a 45,000 pound fine by England's football association for comments he made on Twitter about the John Terry racism trial. Chelsea captain Terry was found not guilty last month of racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand, Rio's brother, during a Premier League game last year. During the trial, Ferdinand appeared to endorse a tweet by another user of the website which described Chelsea defender Ashley Cole, who gave evidence on behalf of Terry in the trial, as a "choc ice". The term is understood to mean someone who is black on the outside but white on the inside. The FA felt Ferdinand's support for the controversial tweet brought the game into disrepute. Photo: Rio Ferdinand (Photosport)

Van Persie officially with Man United

Dutch striker Robin van Persie's been officially unveiled as a Manchester United player for the first time, after making the 24 million pound move from Arsenal. Last season's top goal scorer has trained with the club for the first time and believes he'll slot in nicely to the Red Devils. Van Persie says there's no hard feelings between either team. "There's just certain elements which were vital for me. We had a different view, that's life. No one is angry at me, I'm not angry at them and this is just a big challenge for me." He says he believes he'll be a good fit for last season's runners up. "It makes me proud. It is also a big club. For me it's just a big challenge to do it together with the players here. This morning I had a good session." Van Persie could line up for Manchester United as early as their opening match of the season on Tuesday morning against Everton.

How Barcelona will look like in the La Liga

FC Barcelona Team

FORMATION

4-3-3

Tito Vilanova has been promoted from assistant to head coach and is not expected to make many changes to the team’s system or personnel. Even though Pep Guardiola experimented with a 3-5-2 formation last year on occasion which worked to good effect, his successor is likely to persevere with the tried, tested and mastered 4-3-3 formation that really brings out the best of the talent they have at their disposal.Sergio Busquets is the first choice midfield anchor to sit behind the sublime duo of Iniesta and Xavi. Lionel Messi will be the central figure in attack playing as a false number nine and being complimented on either side by able attackers. David Villa is not 100% fit to resume his role on Messi's left so that position will be occupied by either Fabregas or Afellay while Sanchez or Pedro will feature on the right side.
In possession, the Catalans will camp in the opposition’s half, applying ever increasing pressure until they make a breakthrough. This involves the full-backs pressing up the pitch and almost operating as wingers while Pedro and Villa drift inside and outnumber the defenders centrally. Ibrahim Afellay and Alexis Sanchez will be fighting to win a place in the starting XI and with Cesc Fabregas on the bench, it gives a hint of the luxury of talent available at Camp Nou.

THE MANAGER

Three consecutive league titles, two Champions Leagues, two Copa del Reys, two UEFA Super Cups two FIFA Club World Cups and three Supercopa de Espana in just four seasons in charge, that is the kind of quality and leadership that walked out of the Nou Camp this summer in the form of Pep Guardiola.
Tito Vilanova will certainly have some big boots to fill but inheriting a squad of such exquisite class should be helpful. Furthermore his experience as Guardiola’s number two should hold him in good stead. His familiarity with the players, their playing style and the philosophy of the club as a whole is a major advantage of his appointment as opposed to that of a completely new manager. However, the 42-year old will be thrown into the deep end as he will encounter Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid at the start of the season in a two-legged Spanish Supercup final.

TRANSFER ZONE

Signings made:There isn’t much you can do to improve on the current crop of players at the Camp Nou but Barcelona have found a way to do just that by adding the energetic full-back, Jordi Alba to their ranks. It’s something of a homecoming for the Spanish international having initially learnt his trade at Barcelona’s La Masia academy over the course of seven years before being released in 2005.
Eric Abidal’s battle with cancer has left Barcelona a little short of personnel in the left back position although Adriano has featured well in that role in the Frenchman's absence. Alba however, will be a fantastic acquisition after enjoying a great couple of years for Valencia and the national side.
Potential signings for crucial positions:
The Catalans haven’t been too busy in the transfer market but reports suggest that they are closing in on a deal for Arsenal midfielder, Alex Song. His assists last season may well have attracted the Spanish giants while he is also capable of slotting into the defence.
Song is the closest thing Arsenal have to a defensive midfielder so it’s safe to say that he will operate in a withdrawn midfield role if Barcelona complete the move. The club were also interested in Javi Martinez but Bayern Munich seems to be the likely destination for the 23-year old Spaniard. Barcelona may still require more cover in the center of defence but a signing in that department seems unlikely.

SRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES

Strengths:Barcelona can proudly boast the best central midfield partnership in club football. The duo of Xavi and Iniesta are key to their style of play while the genius of Lionel Messi ahead of them is an immeasurable advantage over opposing teams. Their possession-based system enables them to compress the play in the opponents half and ping the ball around, creating a plethora of chances.
Their strength in depth in midfield is phenomenal with the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Thiago Alcantara, unable to secure a regular starting role while the three up front are sufficiently backed by Alexis Sanchez, Ibrahim Afellay and Isaac Cuenca.
Weaknesses:
Their strength can at times also be their weakness. The tiki-taka style of play looks good on the eye but in moments of desperation a plan B is required and that normally involves the employment of a target man up front. Barcelona’s stubborn refusal to whip aerial crosses into the box restricts them to attempting to pass their way through teams who would resort to holding each other's hands in order to keep things tight centrally.
When they pressurize teams, they operate with a high defensive and normally have their full-backs pushed up in support of the attack. This leaves them vulnerable to a swift counter-attack. Their inability to deal with aerial balls in their own penalty area continues to be a problem.

PRE-SEASON FORM

Hamburg SV		1-2		Barcelona
Raja Casablanca		0-8		Barcelona
Paris Saint-Germain		2-2		Barcelona
Manchester United		0-0 (0-2) pens		Barcelona
Dinamo Bucarest		0-2		Barcelona

PLAYER TO SHINE

When they have the best player on the planet in their line-up, it's hard to consider anyone else to be their player to shine. Several players will always be brilliant in their own right but perhaps not enough to escape the massive shadow of the little genius, Lionel Messi. The Argentine broke some great records when he reached staggering new heights by scroing a sensational 73 goals in all competitions for Barcelona last season having appeared in 60 games. The fact that he also recorded 29 assists is testament to the forward's quality.However, in spite of his phenomenal statistics from last season, Barcelona were unable to defend their La Liga and Champions League titles. The Catalans endured a disappointing season and Messi was at the center of it when he missed a crucial penalty against Chelsea during the Champions League semi-finals. The Argentine will rue his miss and will be eager to make amends this season. Cristiano Ronaldo was instrumental in Real Madrid's title winning season and having also enjoyed a good spell at this summer's European Championships, many believe that he will beat Messi to win the prestigious Ballon d'Or. If that does happen, Messi will have all the more reason to prove himself although it's almost impossible to imagine him getting any better.

FANS SPEAK

Benjamin D'souza

As the transfer window is about to close, most people would feel that Barcelona have not made much of a difference in the transfer market, but with the signing of Jordi Alba, one of the best full-backs, secured and the likes of David Villa and Carles Puyol returning to action, I think we are ready for Real Madrid.

The addition of Alex Song from Arsenal would just be the cherry on top. We definitely missed Villa and Puyol during the end of last season and that cost us the title. Hoping to see Tito Vilanova getting one more new face in our defense and that should seal the deal and we will be set to kick off this season. Viva La Barca...

Clyde Dias
I think Jordi Alba is a great addition to the side. Eric Abidal was excellent and may still return from his health condition but in the meantime we needed a top class left back and we have that now in Alba. The physio recently suggested that this could be Lionel Messi's best season yet physically and I'm hoping that we will see more from the little genius although I'm not sure how anyone could get any better than he is at the moment.
Tito Vilanova was pretty much like Guardiola's shadow while he was the assistant coach and so he knows all that there is to know to keep Barcelona ticking over in the same way. He will be tested early on with the fixtures against Real Madrid for the Spanish Supercup and hopefully he can come through it with flying colours. It's important that we get back our La Liga title this season and once again contest for the Champions League.

Lampard: England can learn from Olympic heroes

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Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has conceded that the England squad could learn from the example set by athletes at the Olympic Games as they prepare for their friendly against Italy.

Wednesday's game is the last chance that Roy Hodgson's team have to experiment prior to the World Cup qualifiers that begin in September against Moldova and Ukraine.

The behaviour of footballers has come under fire following the positive experience over two weeks in London and the Chelsea veteran has admitted that lessons could be taken from the Games. 

"I don't know if it's fair or not that football seems to be getting a bit of a kicking," Lampard toldThe Sun.

"Sure, we know we have our failures in the sport. But we're not the only ones."The Olympics went especially well. The contestants, the atmosphere, the interaction of different countries together in one place, it was great to see.
"If we can all take a lesson from that, every one of us, then we will have all learned a good lesson. It was great to be there and to sample the sort of happy atmosphere you don’t always get at football matches. It was very refreshing.
"The whole ethos of the Olympics is the taking part bit. Of course, you want to win your medals but it's the commitment that really hits you. How can you not appreciate a rower who gets up at five every morning for four years for one event?
"When you hear the athletes speak, after winning or losing, they're very humble people. We can all take that on board. I'm not picking on individuals at all. It's a group thing.
"Sure, it's natural to compare football and the Olympics. But they are totally different things, poles apart.

	LAMPARD TO INSPIRE ENGLAND?
8/1	Frank Lampard to score and England to beat Italy is 8/1 with William Hill

"At the Olympics you don't get shouted at by opposition fans. You don't get the hostile atmosphere. People aren't turning up hoping to see you make a mistake. And, remember, all this is happening both on and off the pitch.
"But that's why football is so special. We love it for what it is. If you took that away, it wouldn’t be the same.
"In football, we're all born with our allegiances. It's tribal. It's almost a religion for the people who watch and we take the ups and downs in different ways. The ups are great, the downs are difficult. To a point, that's the beauty of the game."
The 34-year-old went on to state that he feels there have been some positive changes in and around the England camp since Roy Hodgson has taken charge.
"I think there is now a better relationship even with you guys in the press, a relationship that had broken down at times," he opined. "Purely from watching the Euros, I think people and the public back home related to that new feel.
"Sure, right now the Olympics is top of the agenda. But soon it will be back to normal and let's just make sure we use what we have learned."

Manchester City to bring forward Balotelli contract talks

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EXCLUSIVEBy Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent

Mario Balotelli is set to be rewarded for his growing status by being offered a new contract byManchester City, Goal.com has learned.

The headline-grabbing striker's current agreement runs until 2015 but City officials want to bring forward talks on a new deal to early in the New Year.

The Premier League champions resisted a €50 million (£40m) offer from big-spending Paris-Saint Germain this summer as well as sustained interest from the Serie A elite.

MANCHESTER CITY LATEST
7/2	Mario Balotelli is 7/2 with PaddyPower to score more league goals than any other Man City striker this season

Balotelli's two-year spell at the Etihad Stadium has been littered with controversy on and off the field, with manager Roberto Mancini having made no attempt to hide his frustration at his countryman's antics.

But City are wary of allowing the Italy international's contract to run into its final two years, when his sale-on value will begin to considerably diminish.

Goal.com understands that the club are preparing to rocket the forward, who turned 22 last week, towards the top end of their pay scale.

Balotelli is currently on €140,000-a-week (£110,000) and negotiations are likely to centre on the player joining the likes of David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez in the top bracket of City earners on around €255,000-a-week (£200,000).

The forward is represented by super-agent Mino Raiola, who stated that the player is now worth €255 million (£200m) following his impressive displays at Euro 2012.

He also masterminded Zlatan Ibrahimovic's €37 million (£29m) switch from AC Milan to PSG this summer, earning the Swede €320,000-a-week (£250,000) after tax.

Balotelli insists that he is happy in Manchester but has refused to rule out a move back to his homeland or one of the Spanish giants in the next couple of years. 

There is also genuine City concern that Balotelli's cash-strapped admirers will urge the player to sit tight and continue to keep all his options open.

But City's top brass are in no mood to sell and, although the Abu Dhabi owners make it a general rule not to open contract renegotiations during the season, they want to lay down an early marker in January, steeling themselves for what could be protracted talks.

Herrmann dreaming of reaching DFB-Pokal final with Borussia Monchengladbach

Young defender Patrick Herrmann is eager to make amends for Borussia Monchengladbach's DFB-Pokal semi-final exit last term, by leading them all the way to the finish line this time around, after defeating Aachen in this season's first round.

Die Fohlen were eliminated on penalties by eventual runners-up Bayern Munich in the last competition, and Herrmann believes Lucien Favre's outfit have the necessary belief to give their best in the coming edition.

"Our cup opener against Aachen was as important as our Champions League debut to me," the 21-year-old explained to the club's official website. "We have got good players, even after losing the outstanding man [Marco] Reus was, and we're capable."

"We were so close to achieving what would have been a dream last season. I went to watch the final in Berlin, and after experiencing the emotions going on during that game, the more I would like to take part in my own [final].

"Not many players get to experience the thrill of playing in a final, and that is something that appeals to me immensely."

Borussia Monchengladbach play against Hoffenheim in their opening Bundesliga game on August 25.

Young players do not play enough in India – AIFF’s Technical Director for Academies Scott O’Donnell

Scott O’Donnell, the technical director of All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) director of academies, opines that the Indian youngsters do not play enough games in a year which is an area which needs to be worked upon.
“In India players don't play enough, they play may be 15-16 games a year. In Australia it's 40 and Europe 50 or 60 and the league goes on for eight months. For Under-13 or14, it depends on which state (the player belongs). It may be 1-2 -3 weeks. It's not enough. You got to play all the time,” he mentioned in Mumbai where he is conducting the AIFF 'D' Licence course along with the federation's Technical Director Rob Baan.
He added that Baan is working on a plan which aims to resolve the above mentioned problem which will soon be revealed next week.
"Technical director Baan is going to launch his master plan next Tuesday. He will detail in what we are going to do about (rectifying) it," he added.

India are to bid to host the 2017 U-17 World Cup, as announced by the AIFF president Praful Patel when FIFA president Sepp Blatter visited the national capital back in April this year.
The Australian backs the idea and added that it shall go a long way to inspire the coaches and players at the youth level.
"It (hosting of FIFA U-17 World Cup) will be a big boost for Indian football and give players and all the coaches a lot of motivation to work even harder to ensure that we have a competitive team,” he said.

Unfinished business with Mourinho, life after Guardiola & Messi still the best: Five reasons why Barcelona will win La Liga

FC Barcelona Team

ANALYSIS
By Pilar Suarez | Goal.com Spain

With their season set to start on Sunday, Barcelona appear ready. The Catalan club won all of their five friendlies in pre-season - although victories over Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United came on penalties after those games were drawn - and seem to be settling seamlessly under new coach Tito Vilanova.

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• Villa delighted to make return

With their confidence renewed, Barca will set out to regain La Liga after losing out to fierce rivals Real Madrid in 2011-12. The Catalans committed too many errors last term and paid the price. This time, they hope and believe things will be different.

Here, we look at the five reasons why Barcelona can regain La Liga in 2012-13.

THERE IS LIFE AFTER PEP

The Barca squad are eager to show that they can extend the glorious era of the last four years, despite the departure of Pep Guardiola earlier in the summer.

Barcelona won 14 out of a possible 19 trophies under their former coach, but new boss Tito Vilanova was by his side for all of those successes and will now look to emulate his friend and mentor.

Vilanova has stepped up to the challenge and claims he will not compete with Guardiola. He will be aware, however, that comparisons will be constant. Everyone at the club wants him to succeed and hope he can bring about a smooth transition on the playing field over the next nine months.

The project remains the same, the players are all still there and Vilanova has the knowledge to make it work. Tito will prove there is life after Pep.

SHREWD SIGNINGS AND PLAYERS RETURNING

With a budget of €40 million for new recruits this summer, Barcelona have so far signed just one player: Jordi Alba. Arsenal midfielder Alex Song looks set to arrive in the coming days to strengthen a number of positions, and that should round off the Catalans' spending this summer.

Barca fans would like to see another striker join the club after Lionel Messi was left somewhat alone in that position last season, but with David Villa returning from injury, Pedro back in form after an inconsistent 2011-12 and Alexis Sanchez set to make an even bigger impact in his second season, the Catalans look to have good options in attack. And they surely won't have as many injuries as they did last term.

THE TEAM HAVE RECOVERED FROM LAST SEASON

Mistakes were made last season and the two most important titles slipped away. Barca claimed four trophies in 2011-12, but missed out on La Liga and the Champions League.

Nevertheless, the Catalans have overcome those disappointments in a busy summer and will now set their sights on regaining the two top prizes available to them this term.

Messi missed a penalty in the semi-finals of the Champions League against Chelsea last season, and the Argentine is desperate to overcome that error by returning the Catalan club to the peak of their powers in Europe this term. That spells danger for everyone else.

AN EYE FOR AN EYE ... AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH

For Barcelona there is unfinished business with Jose Mourinho after last season's unseemly clash between the Portuguese and Tito Vilanova, then assistant coach but now Barca boss, in the Spanish Supercopa.

Mourinho famously poked Vilanova in the eye and has only just apologised, almost a year after the event. Barca were upset at the Portuguese's failure to say sorry and the Catalans were even more put out as the Madrid coach escaped punishment from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

Barca may still be upset, but believe that, instead of responding in kind, there would be no greater revenge than reclaiming La Liga from their greatest rivals - and from Mourinho - come next June.

THE WORLD'S BEST SQUAD AND THE WORLD'S BEST PLAYER

Barcelona are fiercely proud of La Masia and can today field a team comprised completely of homegrown players. With a large squad at his disposal, Tito can choose from a wide range of talents from La Masia and beyond, including the very best there is: Lionel Messi.

Barca suffered a number of injuries last term in what was something of a freak season for the Catalan club, but will be keen to show that their squad is the strongest in La Liga, and that in Messi, they have the competition's star performer.

Having made several mistakes in the transfer market in recent years and wasted money on players who failed to fit in at Camp Nou, the current vintage looks a balanced squad and, barring an excess of injuries like last season, should be capable of winning the very biggest trophies.